If I cried me a river of all my confessions
Would I drown in my shallow regret?
—Black, Sarah McLachlan
Tonight the sky was more clear than Zevran had seen it in quite some time. It loomed over the Fereldan countryside, blinking with cold stars that taunted him with their indifference. The moon wasn't quite full, but it still provided ample light to illuminate the stretch of hard-packed dirt and stones that served as the north road leading out of Denerim. Here the road wound around a squat hill dotted with trees. The little rise provided the perfect location for Zevran and the others to hide themselves as they waited for Elissa and the rest to return.
So far the road had been deserted—a sign that the night was progressing as planned. He had to give Elissa credit: the convoluted scheme she developed had seemed to work like a charm. In addition to their other successes, the others had managed to eliminate the arl's pet blood mage: The Tevinter human was dropped off at the Chantry's doorstep, hands bound, a gag in his mouth, and wearing a sign on his chest that simply said "blood mage."
It was an outlandish touch, but Zevran couldn't say he disapproved. It would have been easier to simply kill the man, but Elissa wasn't content to settle for easy. If there was a chance to use the mage to blacken Arl Howe's reputation, she was compelled to take it. Besides, even if the Chantry was unable to make the connection between the mage and the arl, it was still one more blood mage off the streets. The others had not objected.
He wondered if they would feel the same about Elissa's decision to steal the antidote from Darrian and leave the poor elf behind in the arl's dungeons. If she says anything at all, that is. He still held out hope that Elissa would follow his advice.
Elissa and Zevran had been standing at the creek's riverbed for the better part of an hour. His boots were going to be coated with thick mud, but it was easy to brush that concern aside to listen to her sophisticated lilt. She had dragged him here moments after she had returned to camp from Soldier's Peak. Wasting no time, she'd begun describing in meticulous detail the clever plan she'd concocted to acquire the antidote. It was so fascinating he almost forgot to leer.
Still, he could not help wondering if she really had the stomach for it. "This last task… it need not be yours. You could leave this unpleasant duty to me."
Elissa considered for a moment, biting her plump bottom lip and looking off to the side. She shook her head and then met his gaze. "No. This is all my doing… I should be the one to finish it."
Feeling an odd sense of misgiving, Zevran nodded along. "The others… they may not approve of this."
"I know. That's why we can't tell them anything. We have to keep this between you and I until we're out of the city at least. Then, well…" She grimaced in thought. "Then I'll tell them and deal with the consequences."
His expression must've turned dark, because she looked at him in concern. Smoothing his features, he gave a little shrug. "It may be more prudent to simply not tell them at all. That would be easier—"
Elissa shook her head. "No, I can't… I don't want to keep any more secrets than I have to."
That was probably prudent. Most people overestimated their ability to hide the truth. "As you wish."
Staring out at the stretch of empty road, Zevran cursed himself for not insisting that he be the one to divest Darrian of the antidote. What if Elissa changed her mind, and then all of the risks they'd taken would mean nothing? She wouldn't lose her nerve now, at the culmination of all their planning… would she?
A few minutes later, three figures appeared on the road and the tightness in his chest that he'd been trying to ignore for the better part of the day eased at last.
His descent down the small hill was graceful and quick, and he got to the bottom just as the others drew up to it. Smiling broadly, he said in a loud whisper, "I see the plan has worked…"
Before he could finish Alistair rushed forward, slamming his hand into him and grabbing at the front of his armor. Zevran was so surprised by the aggression that he failed to react in time and found himself hoisted up and slammed against a nearby tree so hard that he had no breath with which to make a clever quip.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Crow?" Alistair spat out at him, punctuating the question with a hard shake.
It knocked Zevran's head against the tree. "Getting concussed, apparently," he said with a groan.
"Alistair, don't hurt him." Elissa twisted her hands together in front of her. "We need to just… calm down." Her protest sounded half-hearted, however, which stung a little more than Zevran would have guessed. So much for friendship…
It was only then that Zevran noticed how Alistair was favoring his right side—he managed to hold Zevran up with only one hand, which was a testament to the big man's strength, but the way he held his left arm tight against himself probably indicated some kind of injury. Zevran was about to find out—a knee to the groin and a punch to his injured side ought to work, when Alistair shook him again.
"You betrayed us!"
Zevran's eyes went wide. What in the Void had happened? "I have done no such thing."
"Liar!" The word was joined by another hard shake.
Zevran gritted his teeth. He would have liked nothing better than to have extricated himself from the angry Warden's grip, but he hesitated to resort to violence—especially with his loyalty in question. It would do him no good to extricate himself from Alistair only to have to face both Solona and Elissa. "That may be true, but in this case, I doubt it." He looked at Elissa and raised his eyebrows. "What is this about?"
Elissa stepped forward, studying his face closely. "When we got to the exit of the tunnel we found it blocked… with iron bars."
Mercifully he didn't have to feign the surprise in his expression. "They were not there when I checked the other day." He swallowed a dry lump in his throat and kept his gaze trained on Elissa's. "I swear it."
Elissa hesitated, frowning while she searched his face. After a few seconds she nodded. "I believe him."
It filled his chest with an odd and sudden warmth, and he couldn't help the smile that started twitching at his lips.
Alistair, however, remained unconvinced. He rolled his eyes. "Oh well, that settles it then."
In another situation it may have been comical to watch Elissa's face light up, oblivious to his sarcastic tone. "Good! Then put him down, please."
"That is reasonable request, is it not?" Zevran shot Alistair a mischievous grin. If Elissa believed him, he'd already won. "Not that I dislike the manhandling, mind you. It's just usually I require dinner first…"
Alistair scowled and then made a disgusted noise. "I still don't believe you."
With that the Templar let go of him, and Zevran had to scramble to catch himself from falling at the sudden drop. Brasca! One of these days he ought to poison the loaf's food. He certainly had sufficient cause.
"Think about it," Elissa said. "It doesn't make any sense for him to have betrayed us." She looked around, and spotted Morrigan, Sten, Leliana and Wynne picking their way down the hill. "Why would he still come to the rendezvous point if he didn't expect us to make it out of that tunnel?"
"I don't know. Maybe to take care of the rest of them?"
"Pray tell—what ridiculous argument are you having now?"
Morrigan's mocking lilt brought color to Alistair's cheeks, but he steadfastly ignored her, and directed his question to Elissa. "Why in the Void would you believe him?"
Elissa's gaze flitted to Zevran's and she offered him a small smile before turning back to Alistair with a serene expression. "Because, he wouldn't betray me." She jutted out her chin. "We're friends."
Alistair stared at her with incredulous, wide eyes. His mouth opened and closed, giving him a distinctly fish-like appearance, before he at last decided to snap his jaws shut. "Fine. Just don't come crying to me when he stabs you in the back… again."
With a huff, Alistair turned and walked a few feet away before stopping and crossing his arms. Elissa stared at his back for a moment, and then shook her head and turned to Zevran. "Sorry about that," she said with an apologetic wince that disappeared a moment later, replaced by an expression of determination. "But now we need to focus on what we're going to do next."
The others exchanged looks—well, except for him. They rather conspicuously avoided his gaze. Bueno. This little incident had done nothing to endear him to the others.
"Aren't we heading for Kinloch Hold?" It was odd to see the elderly Circle Mage in anything but her traditional robes—she wore head-to-toe black, like the rest of them. The best color for clandestine jaunts through noble estates at night, Zevran had told them all, eliciting a giggle from Leliana.
Elissa crossed her arms over her chest. "That was the plan, yes. But now the arl knows exactly where we exited his estate… it'll be easy for him to come here and pick up our trail and follow us."
Sten's baritone rumble could probably be heard a league away. "You failed to leave the estate unseen?"
All eyes turned toward Elissa and she blushed. "Something like that." Alistair wasn't so far off that he couldn't eavesdrop and gave a disgusted sounding noise, but Elissa pressed on, ignoring the interruption. "Look, there's no time to explain everything right now—we need to get out of here."
They discussed their options for a few moments, though Zevran was content to remain silent and let the others unravel this knot. Anything he suggested would likely be met with suspicion and objections from Alistair, so he just held his tongue. Eventually they came up with a plan—the Drakon river was not far. They would follow the river south until it wound its way west. From there, they'd look for a place to disembark. The terrain was rocky and uneven in this area, which would make travel difficult, but everyone remained hopeful that they might find a cave to hide themselves away in until morning.
"With any luck, our pursuers will give up when they see we've entered the woods. Most Fereldans are terrified of getting lost in there… and even if they don't quit their pursuit, it should be easier for us to avoid them." She gave a shrug. "Or set a trap for them. Either way, the Brecilian Forest provides the best chance of escape."
Alistair had seen fit to rejoin the discussion, though he was still glowering. "So then what? We just get lost and wander aimlessly around the woods for the next two months?"
"The more lost we get, the less easy it'll be for the arl's men to find us," Elissa said evenly, before shrugging one shoulder. "But no, we won't wander forever. Solona will be able to scout for miles if she shape-changes into a bird. Hopefully, we'll be able to make contact with one of the Dalish clans so we can deliver the treaty and secure their aid." She turned toward Morrigan as she slipped a hand in her pocket and retrieved the vial. "You know how important this is, don't you?"
Morrigan's eyes narrowed into slits. "'Tis a fact you've impressed upon me many times. Do not worry—it shall be delivered to the arl shortly."
The two women faced each other, each staring at one another unblinking, until at last Elissa nodded and held out her hand. "Good luck, Morrigan."
The witch gave a tight smile before plucking the vial out of Elissa's hand and secreting it away in a pocket of her skirt. The air seemed to shimmer around her for a moment, and then with a poof of acrid smoke, Morrigan was gone and an enormous black bird flew off into the night sky.
The rest of them stared up at the cold stars, until Solona cleared her throat. "Uh, Elissa? There's just one problem with your little plan. I don't know how to shape change into a bird yet."
Elissa gave an exasperated sigh. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to teach yourself as we 'wander aimlessly' around the Brecilian Forest, won't you? Come on. We've wasted enough time talking. We need to move."
They set out for the Drakon river, keeping their mouths closed and ears open. Zevran and Elissa walked at the back of the group, counting on his superior hearing to catch the sounds of hoof beats before anyone else. So far, the night had been quiet.
Save for the chaos of his mind, that is. The more they walked, the more Zevran had time to think, and the more his thoughts churned, the more uncomfortable he became. His current mixture of emotions was both curious and troubling. He felt relieved that Elissa believed him… but he also felt mildly offended that she didn't leap to his defense. He felt pride at their mutual accomplishment—she had learned well the lessons he'd taught her—but he also felt a strange sort of disappointment. He should be pleased that she was capable of pulling off their complicated ruse, but looking at her expression now made his chest feel oddly hollow.
Ever since Elissa had returned from Soldier's Peak she had seemed so… distant. Sad, even. There was something about her disposition that struck him as disturbingly… familiar. No one else seemed to notice.
Of course, that probably had something to do with how stubbornly Elissa tried to hide it, while her supposed victim had no qualms about playing up his despair to the others for sympathy. Leliana had been spending every spare moment with him, at first bending an ear to the woes of his poor broken heart, and then indulging him with conversation at every spare moment. It had irritated Zevran to see how Alistair played up these interactions whenever Elissa was near—he smiled more and laughed louder whenever their leader wandered nearby. If Zevran didn't know better he'd wonder if the Chantry sister's charm wasn't somehow related to her proximity to Elissa.
But what could he say? The squeaky wheel gets the grease, as the saying went, and since Elissa was so determined to hide her despair, he was at a loss as to what he could even do to help. He doubted she would appreciate very much if he pointed out that he knew how little she'd been sleeping lately. He could hear her moving around her tent until late into the night, but no matter how early he rose he found her already awake. Dark circles were starting to form under her eyes, making her look older.
He sighed as they splashed through the water at their feet. Luckily the river was flanked on both sides by a small strip of pebbled shore. They were able to walk just along the river's edge—wetting their pants below the knee—so they could throw off any canine pursuers.
It had been hours and they hadn't heard anything. Risking a conversation with Elissa felt important just then, for some reason. "Elissa," he whispered. "How are you?"
Her face was illuminated by moonlight when she turned to stare at him in incredulous anger. "I am fine."
Of course, she hated the question. It couldn't be helped, however. "Si, this I know, of course, my lovely Warden. You're quite capable of handling the most dire of circumstances with grace and wit." The flattery made her expression soften, so he plunged ahead. "However, I know what you had to do today was not easy." He paused, trying to pick his next words carefully. "Perhaps it would be best to keep the details of Darrian's fate a secret for the time being?"
"Alistair knows… Solona might've overheard." She shrugged. "He'll tell the others." Frowning at her feet, they walked for a few more moments in silence, and then she sighed. "It doesn't really matter. It's not like any of them could possibly think less of me right now." Hugging her arms to her chest, she glanced over at Zevran with a wince. "I don't know what came over me."
It was obvious that they were no longer talking about Darrian, but had switched to the subject of Isabela and their wild (he assumed) evening together.
Such trifling concerns for someone with the fate of the world on her shoulders. He lifted his eyebrows and replied in a mild tone, "Lo siento, mi amiga. If you're looking to me to provide recrimination for your supposed crimes, you'll have to search elsewhere."
Elissa's eyebrows shot up. "But… but I behaved deplorably! I ran off without telling anyone and made everyone worry." Her frown deepened, and she started blinking rapidly. "I should have just stayed in my tent."
Zevran kept his tone light. "Seeking out a distraction from your worries in the arms of a beautiful pirate is hardly a crime, little dove. I could hardly fault you for that… other than to lament the fact that you overlooked my possible contribution to that effort, that is."
The corner of her mouth curled upward. It was good to see her smile… even better to see her blush. "Er… sorry," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She was quiet for a few heartbeats, before she turned to him with a crooked smile. "But you know, if we did that… we'd inevitably fall for each other and I'd end up in the exact same spot I am now, wouldn't I?"
He barked out a laugh, but when Elissa's face contorted into a frown, he realized that she was in fact, serious. "Ahh, of course," he answered in airy tone, determined to play it off as a joke anyway.
Her easy assumption that he would fall for her or she for him shocked him—it seemed a ridiculous leap for her to make. As if one night of passion could affect either of them so profoundly. As if all it would take for her to fall was the smallest little nudge. As if someone like her …
He sighed, disappointed that his protege could still demonstrate such naivete and sentimentality. Yes, that was what he felt—disappointed, he told himself, face folding into a frown.
They continued on in silence for the rest of their journey.
Their luck held out—they found a stream that trickled to the south and followed it, looking for a place where they could hide themselves away until morning. It was well after midnight when they stumbled upon the perfect location.
They almost missed it—the gap was nearly grown over with weeds, but Zevran's sharp eyes noticed the opening and he'd hacked through the plant life to unblock the entrance. It was a naturally formed cavern whose roof was open to the sky—a nice touch considering they planned to forgo a campfire lest it be too easily spotted by their pursuers. As it was, the moon and stars provided enough light for the party to set up camp.
He had his own tent at last, and set it up cheerily at the western edge of the cave. Elissa had purchased it for him the day prior to the arl's party. He hadn't made any complaints about sleeping under the stars, but she'd presented it to him without commentary. The others had looked on with disapproving glares, but Zevran ignored them in favor of marveling at his improved circumstances. It was a tiny pup tent large enough to comfortably sleep only one person, but it beat sleeping under the cold stars as he had been. They said that the current weather was an uncommonly warm streak for Ferelden—if that was the case, Zevran dreaded the fall and winter.
The others spread out around the cave, setting up their tents with plenty of space between them. Elissa set traps at the cave's entrance and set watch for the night—only one person needed, she said, considering their secluded and well-protected location. If they were found, they had a good defensible position where they could dig in. Still, the attitude of the group was more weary than wary, as they'd seen no sign of any pursuit for miles.
It was late and everyone was exhausted. When Leliana had asked after Darrian, Elissa announced that she was too exhausted to get into it now and that they would speak more in the morning. In spite of the way Alistair glared, he didn't raise any objections.
He felt exhaustion pulling at all of his muscles and his entire body feel heavy, but he didn't crouch into his tent just yet. Almost everyone else had retired. His lovely Warden serving as the only other exception besides himself and Sten on watch. After a few heartbeats of contemplation, he grabbed his pack and headed for where Elissa reclined with her back against a large and wide boulder that jutted up against the eastern wall of the cavern.
His footsteps made no sound, and she was staring up at the stars as he approached, so she startled at his greeting.
"Zevran? Why aren't you sleeping?"
The corner of his mouth curved upward. "I could ask the same of you. Care if I join you?"
She gave a shrug and he settled himself beside her, with his back against the boulder. "I feel too restless to sleep, yet."
"Ahh," Zevran said. "I may have something for that."
She looked at him again, eyebrows inching upward.
Reaching into his pack, he grasped the bottle he'd stashed there. The rounded curve of the bottle was a familiar and comforting weight in his hand. "Antivan brandy… a fine vintage at that. I managed to liberate this from the arl's collection on my way out of the estate." He held it out to Elissa. "Care for a drink?"
The smile that had been teasing at Elissa's lips vanished. "That's… that's very kind of you, but no thank you." She met his gaze briefly before looking upward. "I don't trust myself with that."
"No? Ah well, if you change your mind…?" He trailed off, and then uncorked the bottle and took a long pull, smacking his lips together and sighing as the burgundy liquid danced over his tongue, spreading warmth throughout his body. "Antivan brandy is the finest in all of Thedas. You do not know what you are missing, little dove."
"I'll take your word for it."
They sat there in silence, both of them contemplating the swirling stars scattered across the inky night sky. Zevran raised the brandy bottle to his lips and drank again, enjoying the buzz of alcohol in his veins.
"Do you believe in the Maker?"
The brandy bottle halted in its progression to his mouth. He stared at Elissa for a few seconds. He wouldn't have pegged her as a person interested in metaphysical mysteries. Taking another swig from the bottle, he shrugged. "Would it surprise you to learn that I do?"
"Not really. Belief in the Maker is fairly common."
"And yourself?"
A few seconds went by. "You know how I would have answered that question before all this began? I'd have said it didn't matter. That it was irrelevant what I believed." She gave a soft snort of laughter. "I suppose it was back then. I never had any reason to worry about or question His existence."
"And now?"
"Now?" She lowered her head and stared at her hands in her lap. "I… I guess I still don't know." Turning her head to look at him, she asked, "So do you believe what the Chantry teaches about the afterlife? That we pass through the Fade on the way to the Maker's side?"
Again the bottle froze in its ascent to his lips. "These are rather existential questions to be considering tonight, don't you think?" At her indifferent shrug and flat stare, he went on with a sigh. "I… suppose that I do." She gave a loud sigh at that, but didn't say anything. "And you?"
She brought her knees up and hugged them to herself, resting her chin at the top of them. "The souls go somewhere. I just don't know where."
His lips started to curve upward into an amused smile. "You sound rather certain."
She met his gaze briefly before looking away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I mean… that's just what I think."
There was something odd about her tone in all of this, but Zevran could not quite pinpoint it. He wasn't particularly interested in a philosophical debate at the moment, however, so he let the matter drop.
Elissa leaned back and resumed her examination of the night sky, tilting her chin and resting her head against the rock. The long line of her neck gleamed alabaster in the cold moonlight, and Zevran found himself staring at it, mesmerized. It had been an age since he'd felt a lover's skin underneath his fingertips, his lips… perhaps it was the brandy speaking, but it occurred to Zevran once again how foolish Elissa was to deprive herself of freely offered pleasure.
He took another long drink, licked his lips and then stoppered the bottle. "I think I know what you need."
Her gaze didn't leave the stars. "Oh?"
Setting the bottle aside, Zevran turned so that he could rest his arm atop the large boulder… the better to lean in close. "Indeed. You look so tired, my dear. All this constant walking and fighting… it's exhausting, no?"
Her gaze didn't leave the stars and she gave a deep sigh. "It is indeed."
She seemed to not notice his proximity yet. "My thought is this: We retire to my tent and I show you the sort of massage skills that one only learns growing up in an Antivan whorehouse."
Still she didn't look at him—she just lifted her eyebrows at the stars. "A massage?" She asked, lips turned down into a thoughtful frown. "Massage is an effective treatment for sore muscles..."
Did she really not understand him or was she being coy? "Indeed it is! I would be most happy to demonstrate my acumen for your benefit. But let me ask you this… if the opportunity to proceed past the massage should present itself…?"
Elissa yawned, mouth stretching wide and eyes squeezed shut. "What would it proceed to?" Her face scrunched up with thought. "Acupuncture?"
Reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair away from Elissa's forehead, he spoke in a low murmur. "Little dove, sometimes I think that you understand more innuendo than you let on."
Her gaze snapped to his, and he was pleased that he had at last gained her attention. After a moment, she looked away and sat up a little straighter. "Well, maybe," she said, picking at some invisible lint at her knee. "And sometimes I think your command of Common is much better than you let on."
He coughed, trying to stifle a laugh. "Ahh, you may have me there." He fell silent as he tried to pick out his next words and found the task a bit harder than he'd have expected. It was uncomfortable sitting with his hand draped over the boulder, but just then he couldn't think of anything else to do with his arm-the awkwardness was entirely unfamiliar and unwelcome. He cleared his throat. "Well, then, let me speak plainly. Let me distract you from your worries by bringing your beautiful body the pleasure it so richly deserves."
She sat up straight suddenly. "You're serious?" Her gaze strayed to the corner of the cave where Alistair had pitched his tent.
Zevran followed her gaze and then nodded. "Do not worry, bella. No one need hear of this if we do not wish them to. I know how to be discreet."
Her eyes were wide as she met his gaze again, and her mouth had fallen open. "I… oh."
The syllable's tone could have been interpreted as surprise or desire, or if he was very lucky, both. Encouraged that she didn't immediately dismiss the idea, he soldiered on. Giving her his best smoldering look, he pushed off against the rock so that he could bring his face closer to Elissa's. "Trust me," he said, in a voice as smooth and rich as heavy cream. "You won't be disappointed with any of the techniques I've picked up over the years… I am quite skilled with my hands, my darling." And then, because it was Elissa and he wanted to be clear, he added, "And I'm not just talking about massage."
Even in the wan light he could see the furious blush his tone and words had elicited, and it shot a thrill of desire through him. The offer had been a long shot, of course—he knew that. But now he rather hoped it succeeded…
As she searched his face he felt a flutter in his chest… was she honestly considering his offer?
After a few heartbeats she shook her head. "I… I can't risk it, I'm sorry. I've already hurt him enough. I won't make the same mistake again." He didn't need to ask who she was referring to. "I'm sorry. I can't."
He felt a pang of disappointment. A minor pang—nothing he wasn't used to, of course. Nothing to get worked up over. That she seemed genuinely rueful was lovely, though completely unnecessary. He shrugged. "As you wish, my dear. I only hate to see you so… distracted by your worries." He started to rise. "I'll leave you alone—"
Elissa grabbed his arm to stop him. "Wait!" The word bounced off the walls of the cavern, echoing throughout the enclosed space. She cringed at the noise and then snatched her hand away.
He stilled himself and looked at her expectantly. "Yes?"
"I… I just…" Twisting her hands together, she struggled to come up with the words to say whatever it was she was trying to express.
He felt a twinge of irritation as she floundered—the urge to flee her presence was both peculiar and strong. He forced his tone to be neutral. "You needn't explain, Elissa. It is not an issue—."
"I just don't want to be alone." She spit the words out so quickly it took Zevran a couple of seconds to understand what she'd said.
That's why I offered my tent… He felt a mix of frustration and sympathy as he stared at Elissa's anxious face. "I…"
"You're exhausted and need sleep," she said, before he could formulate a response. "Never mind. It's alright. Good night."
She huddled into herself, folding her arms and tucking her chin into her chest.
The bottle of brandy in his fist was hard and unyielding, and his hand ached from squeezing it as he sat there, poised between leaning back against the rock and leaping to his feet. After a moment that stretched on into what felt like an eternity, he gave a deep sigh. What would it cost him, really? He settled himself back down beside her. "Very well," he whispered. "I'll stay."
He didn't meet her eye when her head snapped up at that—instead, he lay his head back and stared up at the stars above them. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her relax and mirror his position.
"Thanks," she said in a voice just above a whisper.
"It is no hardship. The sky is beautiful tonight, no?"
She made a noise of agreement and then the two of them lapsed into silence. He wondered if he shouldn't think of some topic of conversation, but as the moments stretched on breaking the stillness of the night with a word felt unnecessary. He was content to pick out constellations and listen to the quiet noises of the forest.
He wasn't sure how long it had been when his eyes started to close. The steady, rhythmic breathing coming from Elissa had a soothing and soporific effect, and he knew he'd join her in the Fade before too long if he didn't get up and go to his tent—his brand new tent, into which he'd been so looking forward to crawl after a long day and night of constant action and adventure.
But he didn't get up for some reason, though his brand new tent called to him. He was comfortable, he told himself, and the brandy had settled into his muscles and made him drowsy. Just before drifting off he told himself that he would surely regret this in the morning… his back would be in knots… but it was too late. His tent would remain empty that night as he slept side-by-side with Elissa, underneath the twinkling of uncaring constellations.
